NEW DENTAL CLINIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23517, 3 June 1938, Page 2

NEW DENTAL CLINIC

OPENED AT MORNINGTON 1 SCHOOL VALUE OF SERVICE STRESSED The new dental clinic in the Mornington School grounds was officially opened by Mr P. Neilson, M.P., yesterday afternoon, thus adding anothei valuable institution to the health facilities of the city. After the headmaster (Mr L. A. McKenzie) had extended a welcome to those present, Mr F. Tombs, chairman of the School Committee, outlined. the steps leading up to the building of the clinic. He referred to the valuable help given by the Education Board, the Health Department, the dental superintendent of Otago (Mr J. S. Nicolson), the parents, and members of the staff, and thanked the Government, through Mr Neilson, for granting the committee a valuable two-thirds subsidy, Mr Tombs then introduced Nurse Jenkins, who, he said, would be permanently at the clinic. He mentioned that, to commence with, only children in the primer department would be eligible for treatment, but these pupils would be carried through until they reached Standard IV. This would mean that in a few years’ time all the children would be receiving treatment. The committee would have liked to have extended the service to children in the standards, but they had to abide by the Government regulations. Each child would be charged 5s a year, but this would be reduced where there was more than one child attending the clinic. It was the aim’of the committee, Mr Tombs concluded, to reduce these fees, and he appealed for the continued support of parents. Mr Neilson discussed at some length the Labour Government’s achievements in the realm of education and in improving the health of children. It was the Government’s view, he said, that good health came before education, and this was why so much attention had been given in the past three years to dental services. He referred to the increased number of clinics and the opening of a new training school for dental nurses so that the number receiving training had practically doubled. Mr Neilson stressed the value of milk in the children’s diet, and quoted figures showing the benefit? derived by children through the free milk supply for schools. Mr W. E. Brugh extended congratulations to the school on behalf of the Otago Education Board. He referred to the excellent work being carried out by the school’s headmaster and the chairman of the committee, and expressed best wishes for the future success of the clinic.

Mr Nicolson, dental supervisor for Otago, also paid a tribute to the work of the committee, and said that Mornington was fortunate in possessing such a keen headmaster and an efficient dental, nurse. He mentioned that it would take some time for the nurse to treat all the children in the primers, and added that in Primer IV 40 children had been examined by Nurse Jenkins, and they had among them no fewer than 320 decayed teeth. He appealed to parents to assist the nurse in her work by looking after their children’s diet, seeing that they cleaned their teeth regularly and that they kept their appointments. Mr Neilson than officially opened the clinic after which several parents availed themselves of the opportunity to inspect the building and equipment.